A 2-1 defeat to Burton Albion brought an end to Dale's home campaign for the season.
Dale dominated a first half which saw Chris O'Grady hit the bar and his strike partner Chris Dagnall come close on numerous occasions, but they couldn't quite break the deadlock.
The second half looked to be heading the same way before Cleveland Taylor gave Burton the lead with what looked like a cross, although he will claim it was an intentional hit to the back post.
The Brewers then doubled their lead two minutes later when referee Karl Evans awarded a dubious penalty against Craig Dawson for a foul on Steve Kabba. Shaun Harrad dispatched the resulting penalty.
Dale were always looking like the side in control of the game despite the two goals and Chris O'Grady pulled one back for Dale when he lobbed a hesitant Kevin Poole from just inside the area.
But the home side couldn't find that equalising goal with Gary Jones testing Poole on separate occasions being Dale's best chances as Burton beat Dale by two goals to one.
Keith Hill made five changes to the side that was beaten at Hereford. Kenny Arthur came in for Frank Fielding in goal, whilst there was one change in defence with Nathan Stanton replacing Rory McArdle. Scott Wiseman and Tom Kennedy were in the full back slots, whilst Stanton partnered Craig Dawson in the centre. Jason Taylor came in for Jason Kennedy to partner Captain Gary Jones in midfield, with Ciaran Toner and Kallum Higginbotham replacing Temitope Obadeyi and Andy Haworth on the wings. Chris O'Grady and Chris Dagnall were up top for Dale.
With the game being Dale's last home one of the season, and last in League Two for at least one season, a relaxed atmosphere was expected inside Spotland as both sides played under no pressure with nothing but pride to play for.
The TDS and Sandy Lane ends were doing their best to cheer Dale onto a 26th win of the season in the early stages as the home side made the early running. A few early corners were forced before Kallum Higginbotham shot well wide after a quick break and neat footwork.
It was Burton who nearly took an early lead though in spectacular circumstances. A shot from Shaun Harrad was blocked into the path of Cleveland Taylor who struck a sweet volley at the Dale goal, with Kenny Arthur having to make a fine save to his left to keep the score level.
With 16 minutes played and the promising start to the game continuing, Dale hit the bar through leading scorer Chris O'Grady. A good Dale move saw Chris Dagnall find O'Grady but his turn and shot could only find the top of the crossbar as it bounced clear for a goal kick.
O'Grady had another chance a minute later when Kallum Higginbotham did superbly on the right to skin his defender before laying O'Grady off, but his shot was sliced well wide and only saved from going for a corner by Ciaran Toner who kept it in play to cross for Chris Dagnall, but his header never looked like troubling Burton's veteran 'keeper Kevin Poole.
However, Poole had to be alert two minutes later when Chris Dagnall broke through the Brewers' defence as Dale started to turn the screw. He dispossessed central defender Tom Parkes ten yards inside the Burton half and had a free run at goal, but his shot was very tame and Poole was able to save with his legs.
Chris Dagnall had another great chance on the counter attack as the half hour mark approached when Dale broke free after an attacking free kick from Burton. Kallum Higginbotham flicked a header on to Dagnall who ran at the last defender, with Higginbotham, Gary Jones and Chris O'Grady for support. However, despite the four-on-one situation Dagnall chose to go for goal himself, only finding the last man Paul Boertien who blocked out for a corner.
Dagnall, with 20 for the season but without a goal for 7 games since his hat-trick at home to Grimsby in March, was desperate to equal Chris O'Grady on 21. It was O'Grady who did superbly to ride a few challenges as he sprinted forward before finding Dagnall, but with Gary Jones screaming the pass in the middle Dagnall went for goal, only to be thwarted by Kevin Poole again.
As the game wound down towards half-time the intensity started to creep away from the play of both sides. Chances became few and far between, with the first booking of the game being the main talking point when Russell Penn was debatably booked for a challenge on Kallum Higginbotham, although the tackle was two footed and the home crowd felt referee Evans made the right decision.
One minute of added time failed to produce anything and Dale went into the break wondering how they hadn't taken at least a one goal lead.
Keith Hill's team were hoping for a second half like the first in the hope that one of the chances will turn into a goal for their side. The first chance of the half fell to Burton's Russell Penn, but his right footed effort from distance didn't trouble Kenny Arthur in the Dale goal.
The second half started how the first had ended, in a quiet manner with Dale having the possession but not creating anything of note. The TDS stand was in fine voice in cheering Dale on for the final time at Spotland in League Two.
Ciaran Toner was replaced by Joe Thompson on the left wing ten minutes into the half as Dale looked for a little more impetus.
But in the 62nd minute Burton Albion shocked Spotland with a fine goal that gave them the lead. The ball found its way to Cleveland Taylor on the right and he sent a cross looping into the air that deceived Kenny Arthur and found its way to the back post and into the net. Whether it was intentional or not, only Taylor will know but it gave Paul Peschisolido's side the lead.
That goal certainly stunned the home fans inside Spotland, but just three minutes later Burton were awarded a dubious penalty. Craig Dawson was adjudged to have fouled Steve Kabba with a sliding tackle, although the home fans inside Spotland thought he won the ball. Shaun Harrad took the spot kick and buried it past Kenny Arthur to double Burton's lead.
This saw Dale make two quick substitutions with Jason Kennedy coming on for Jason Taylor in midfield before Chris Dagnall was replaced by Reece Gray who came on for his first senior appearance.
Again the game returned to Dale having the majority of the possession, but failing to create any clear cut opportunities as they looked for a goal that would set up a frantic finish. Gary Jones tested Kevin Poole from outside the area but couldn't find a way past, whilst Chris O'Grady couldn't turn home the rebound.
But O'Grady did net his 22nd of the season in the 79th minute after Poole hesitated in coming for a bouncing ball in his area. His hesitation allowed O'Grady to chest the ball down before turning and lifting it over Poole who was off his line, and despite the best efforts of a Burton defender to fist it clear, the goal did count and it halved Dale's deficit.
With Dale probing for that equalising goal they were always going to have to cope with Burton attacks as Steve Kabba forced Kenny Arthur into an easy stop.
But despite the possession Dale could not breach the Burton defence a second time, with Gary Jones coming closest for Dale on two different occasions with strikes from the edge of the area, and Dale ended their final home game in League Two in defeat.
Dale: Arthur, Wiseman, T Kennedy, Stanton, Dawson, Taylor, Jones, Toner, Higginbotham, O'Grady, Dagnall.
Burton: Poole, Boco, Boertien, James, Parkes, Penn, Simpson, McGrath, Kabba, Taylor, Harrad.
Referee: Karl Evans (Lancashire). Assistant Referees: Wayne Grunnill (East Yorkshire) & Paul Hodskinson (Lancashire). Fourth Official: Peter Wright (Merseyside).
Attendance: 3,749.
